Tuesday, March 31, 2015

It's been awhile since I've played along with MFT card challenges. On Sunday night, I used the MFTWSC and the MFT Color Challenge to make a couple more Easter cards. Time is running out to get them in the mail!

I used some SU DSP that matches the MFT colors pretty well. The colors are yellow, brown, orange and blue.

The PI image is stamped with Memento tuxedo black and colored with Copics. Her dress is paper pieced with the blue DSP. I like how the background paper, the Die-namics die and the top paper border have the scalloped theme going. I just added some sequins for a little more interest.

Monday, March 30, 2015

I'm supposedly working in my office this morning, but I'm SO OVER my work computer's antics that I'm taking a short break from it to post to my blog. My MAC does not behave like the Windows based machine, thank goodness!

I mentioned that I got in lots of stamping time yesterday. One of the cards I made is this birthday card for my sister's boyfriend. I used the cute new set from Lawn Fawn called Critters In the Jungle. I'm not a fan of snakes, but this guy is kind of cute and I like the sentiment that goes with.

The images are colored with Copics and cut out with the set dies. I can't seem to make a card lately without using my Wink Of Stella glitter pen and if you look closely, you can see mr snake is shinny. The papers are old SU DSP. The sketch is from the current Sweet Sunday Sketch # 262.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

I hope your weekend was awesome! As usual, it was too short for me. I had a very busy work week and didn't get any stamping time in until yesterday, and only for just a few hours late last night. Today, I made sure to spend some quality time with my stamps, paper and ink.

As soon as I saw the uber cute Simon Says Stamp set called Abby's Spring Showers around blogland, I knew I wanted it. Unfortunately, it went on backorder very soon after release. I was able to place my order last weekend. It arrived on Thursday, so of course I had to ink it up as soon as I could.

I started with the raindrop stencil that is part of the stamp and die set. Using Soft Sky card stock I sponged craft white ink through the raindrop stencil. I then moved the stencil slightly and sponged on Soft Sky ink. I used this technique by Jennifer McGuire. Using the MFT stitched rounded rectangle die, I cut the raindrop piece for the top panel in the sketch.

Abby is stamped in memento black ink and colored with Copics. I cut her out using the set dies. The umbrella is paper pieced with papers from the same 6x6 pad that I used for the umbrella background. I used some very small pink flower sequins on the pockets of her jacket and another on the sentiment banner die. It doesn't show up well in the photo, but I used my Wink Of Stella glitter pen over the puddle. IRL it's shinny.

Friday, March 20, 2015

I got home from a week long work trip around noon today and as always, it's good to be home. Looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight! The weather here in SoCal is pretty great and I will be hanging with my crafty buddies tomorrow for our monthly get-together. I'm bringing supplies for Easter tag make & takes.

Speaking of Easter, I made this card Sunday night, but didn't get around to photographing it for my blog before I left for my trip. I made it using the SSSC #260 sketch.

I rotated the sketch for the stamp that I wanted to use. I also used a larger "wonky" panel because I wanted to see more of the patterned paper.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Another of the Sunday blog challenges that I like to play along with is The Paper Players challenges. This week, for PP235, Anne Marie's color challenge is for us to use Crisp Cantaloupe, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron and Crumb Cake. After dinner on Sunday, I decided to try something a little new to me. I've been seeing all the watercoloring projects on blogs lately and I've been wanting to give it a try. Here is my attempt. It was fun!

I started with the Freshly Made sketch 176. As you can see I rotated the layout for my stamp. The image is stamped on SU watercolor paper with Versamark ink and heat embossed with SU white EP. I used my distress markers in colors to match the challenge by coloring on an acrylic block and using a water color brush to paint the images. For the yellow background, I first wet the paper with only water, a lot of it, and then picked up the color and let it absorb into the paper. I used my heat tool to dry the watercolor paper when I deemed I had enough yellow in the background. Using the marker direct to the paper, I darkened some of the poppies, then added a little more water over the top.

Finally, I added the scalloped borders, wooden button, and twine and adhered it to the Crumb Cake card. I cut the small tag from Crumb Cake card stock and stamped the sentiment with Wild Wasabi ink. For some shimmer, I used a very small amount of Stickles on the poppies and some randomly placed white sequins.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

After traveling all last week, I am enjoying some stampy time this weekend.

My mom's birthday is next Saturday, so of course I need to get her card made and in the mail. Since I always like to see what Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch has for us on Sundays, I went to the new SSSC blog to check it out. It's a fun one this week where we get to pick a sketch from all the previous sketches. It was a hard choice, but I really wanted to use my new Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frame dies so I picked sketch #195.

This is not one of those 10 minute cards, LOL. Lots of coloring, paper piecing and die cutting, and boy, was it fun to make! I think mom will love it too.

I used some SU mini glue dots to glue the banner pieces and hair bow over the stamped image. They are just fat enough to give some dimension without being too high. After coloring her shoes with black and gray, I used my Wink Of Stella clear glitter pen to add some shine. I also used it on the white polka dots in the hair bow. After using my R20 Copic to color her cheeks, I used my white Gelly Roll pen to add white freckles.

The inside gingham frame is raised with foam tape to look like a true frame around a picture.

Monday, March 2, 2015

I hope your Monday is going well. I love this sentiment in the new Avery Elle set called Berry Good. I did a little shopping at my local paper crafting store on Saturday afternoon and picked up this set and the co-ordingating dies. I had seen it on the Avery Elle website and was excited when I saw it in the store.

New toys, had to use them. The layout from this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch fits it well I think.

I colored the lemon with Copics then stamped the sentiment in MFT Hybrid black ink. The image was cut out with the Avery Elle Berry Good dies. Instead of the "flags" element, I decided to use the martini glass die from MFT. It's popped up with dimensionals and I glued on some gold sequins. I kind of like the way it turned out.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

After doing laundry and packing for my next business trip tomorrow, I found a little time to stamp. On Sundays I like to see what The Paper Players weekly challenge is. This week Laurie's theme is Spring. It gave me an excuse to ink up some newish Taylored Expressions stamps. (I know, we don't need excuses do we?)

I used the Mojo Monday #386 sketch, Tall & Skinny. My sentiment is on the inside.